Have your say on Crossrail 2 - proposed extension from Alexandra Palace to New Southgate

A further consultation focusing on specific areas of Crossrail 2 launches today

Changes proposed to Crossrail 2 route following feedback from consultation last year

To find out more about the consultation, watch a route flythrough and to have your say please go to:www.crossrail2.co.uk

Transport for London (TfL) and Network Rail have today launched a second consultation on Crossrail 2 which will look at variations to the proposed route.

Crossrail 2 would create a new high frequency, high capacity rail line with shorter journey times between south west and north east London. Its route is designed to address capacity constraints in the south west as well as providing vital new connections across the capital which will help to support economic growth, providing opportunities for thousands of new jobs and homes.

The results of an earlier consultation on Crossrail 2 carried out last year by TfL and Network Rail demonstrated considerable support for Crossrail 2, particularly for the Regional route. This route, which will travel through London and into Surrey and Hertfordshire, will provide greater benefits through journey and congestion relief across the existing rail network.

It will also create much needed additional capacity on the main line network and have a greater impact on regeneration and development particularly in outer London and the Upper Lea Valley. However it also raised some issues on specific route alignments. This second consultation will explore these specific aspects in more depth.

Work carried out to review the comments and proposed changes by the public consultation in 2013 identified some potential changes to the route which may offer further passenger benefits, better value for money and potentially better opportunities for local growth and regeneration to increase the supply of housing and jobs.

As a result a further consultation being launched today will look specifically at:

Alternative route alignments in the London borough of Hackney;

Extending the terminal destination for Crossrail 2 from Alexandra Palace to New Southgate; and

Alternative locations for the proposed station in Chelsea.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “If London and its economy are to keep moving then it’s essential that we crack on and get Crossrail 2 delivered. It’s a vital project not just for the capital, but also for the regions from which hordes of commuters struggle into work on packed carriages each day. As we’ve seen with Crossrail 1, major transport projects like this have an enormous role to play not just in boosting capacity, but in galvanising economic development and unlocking the potential for jobs and homes. We know there’s huge appetite from passengers and from business to get this project off the ground and as we take the hugely important step in fine-tuning the potential route we’re genuinely keen to hear people’s views.”

TfL’s Managing Director of Planning, Michèle Dix, said: “People can clearly see the immense value of Crossrail 2 which will create a new high frequency, high capacity rail line with shorter journey times between southwest and northeast London and relieve pressure on suburban rail routes and the Underground as well as helping to spur economic growth in and beyond the capital. Crossrail 2 is a vital addition to London’s transport system and as we move forward with this second consultation we’re another step closer to making it a reality.”

Network Rail’s Group Strategy Director, Paul Plummer, said: “London’s railways are already the busiest and most congested in the country, with many main lines operating at, or close to, capacity. Working jointly with TfL we must press on with schemes such as Crossrail 2 so that public transport continues to support and drive economic growth.”

The consultation will run for six weeks, from 9 June to 25 July 2014. More information can be found at www.crossrail2.co.uk. Local drop-in sessions for people to find out more about the options will be held in Chelsea, Hackney and Dalston from mid June, further details and dates of the events are available on the website.

Even with the Tube upgrade works and the delivery of Crossrail 1, Crossrail 2 is needed to provided additional capacity on the transport network so that it is able to cope with London's forecasted population growth, expected to reach 10 million by 2030.

The results of this second consultation will inform a revision to the project safeguarding later in the year. More detailed design will then be needed and an application for Powers to build could take place in 2018.

I think this is a great opportunity for us to feed in to the consultation. I have suggested that, if possible, Bowes Park be included in the extension to help with the rush hour congestion on the FCC line. Bowes Park is also fairly close to Bounds Green underground station, so I think it would be ideal.

You can read the proposals here and scroll to the bottom to launch the survey:

To update this discussion - announcements have been made today which report on the consultation undertaken earlier this year and open a new round of consultations.

Crossrail 2 is the proposed new high-frequency, high-capacity rail line running through London and into Surrey and Hertfordshire. the route through Alexandra Palace (with a new underground station) terminating at New Southgate would mean far greater transport connectivity for our area.

The consultation report published today says:

Alexandra Palace to New Southgate

One of the branches we consulted on in 2013 proposed trains terminating at Alexandra Palace. However, many stakeholders suggested that Crossrail 2 should be extended further north to provide additional interchange opportunities at New Southgate. An option has therefore been identified to extend the service to New Southgate, which would be at no additional cost, given the savings identified through opportunities to use existing railway land for Crossrail 2 trains.

This extension would mean that the Alexandra Palace Crossrail 2 station becomes an underground station, rather than a station above ground, as proposed in 2013. The indicative map below shows the branch of Crossrail 2 continuing to New Southgate.

An extension to New Southgate would:

Reduce journey times from New Southgate and the surrounding area to central London (see some example journey times in the table below)

It seems potentially very good news for the immediate and nearby areas.

There is one interesting spin off relating to the long running Pinkham Way waste plant issue. The possibility remains that the land owners (Barnet Council and North London Waste Authority) could put the land forward as potential waste designated land within the new North London Waste Plan now under development. If agreed, such land becomes protected for waste (only) use.

The site – just south of the A406 off the southern of the two dumbbell roundabouts at the Retail Park – sits well within half a mile of a New Southgate Crossrail 2 Station. Checkout regular Evening standard articles of price increases close to developing stations on Crossrail 1 and consider that if it was going to be possible to develop this land at all, whether as an owner you would want to be constrained to waste plant and nothing else when the sky may be the limit.

Interesting issue for stretched public finances wrapped up in this as well as a whole lot more.

A new consultation has been launched for Crossrail 2. It seems like a long way off (current plans indicate that if it was built it would be operational in 2030) but these things take a lot of planning and the consultation offers an opportunity to learn about the project. The link in Richard's post above will take you to the website where there are further links that take you to the list of consultation meetings. The ones that are relevant to the immediate area are as follows: Wood Green-Ducketts Common (Across the road 38 Willoughby Road), N8 0JQ, 04/12/2015 Friday 12.00pm-8.00pm and 05/12/2015 and Saturday 11.00am-4.00pm; Alexandra Palace Station, Alexandra Palace Station London, N22 7ST, 07/12/2015, Monday, 12.00pm-8.00pm and 17/12/15, Thursday, 12.00-8.00pm; New Southgate Friern Bridge Retail Park Pegasus Way, London N11 3PW, 08/12/2015, Tuesday 12.00pm-8.00pm and 11/12/2015 Friday, 12.00pm-8.00pm. Please check these online before attending. According to the list for November there were two events held at Spouters Corner, Wood Green on 4th and 5th November - were you there and if so what did you think? It should be noted that the alignment for the scheme currently shows an option of going either via Turnpike Lane and Alexandra Palace or via Wood Green, any views on this? I'll declare my interest, I currently work on the project so I'm passionate about projects like this and public transport in general, however whatever your opinion I would encourage you to get involved, share your views and have your say.